Gaza Protest at Egyptian Embassy, London, 2 January

The crowd, mainly of Palestinians but with a good sprinkling of other supporters, were united in pressing for urgent action from Egypt as well as an immediate stop to the Israeli killing in Gaza and an end to the siege, although there were a few minor arguments and I saw stewards call police to deal with one trouble-maker who was quickly escorted away.

There was an effective barrier on the opposite side of South Street between the crowd and the embassy with a fairly strong police presence on the roadway in front of the building, as well as a number well behind the crowd, but other than preventing any access by demonstrators or press to the front of the Embassy the police simply stood and watched for the hour and a quarter I was there.

After some prolonged chanting and various addresses to the crowd, a small group of young men burnt some crudely drawn Israeli flags decorated with swastikas, and then set fire to a photograph of the Camp David meeting with a text reading "TREATY OF CAMP DAVID." A few small rotten tomatoes were also thrown towards the embassy.

More pictures on My London Diary shortly:  http://mylondondiary.co.uk